Why Pat Shurmur is the WRONG Guy for the Cleveland Browns

Mike Holmgren may have gotten “his guy”, but let me tell ya, “his guy” is a fraud. Has everyone forgotten the Rams lackluster performance against the Seahawks in Week 17? The result should be a direct reflection on Pat Shurmur.

Yes, the Rams may have won more games in 2010 than the three previous seasons.

Yes, Shurmur may have coached Sam Bradford to a Rookie-of-the-Year award win.

Yes, the Rams offense was ravaged by injuries.

Now, please forget ALL OF THAT because it means nothing!

Let me put the year in perspective. Here’s a look at some key offensive numbers that are down right offensive.

Rams offense: 21st in passing, 25th in rushing

In the first half the Rams’ offense outscored the opponent 173-163, and was outscored 116-164 in the second half (not able to make halftime adjustments)

18.1 points per game scored, 26th in the NFL

Rams blew three late-fourth quarter leads

Rushing game averaged 3.7 yards per carry with a Pro Bowl running back

33.2% on third down, 25th in the NFL

Sixteen teams won more than seven games, and three teams, including the Rams, won seven games. That’s a grand total of 19 NFL teams that won seven games or more. Eighteen offensive coordinators won the same or more games than Pat Shurmur won in 2010.

Despite the crappy offensive output, the Rams still managed to win seven games in the NFC West! Only seven wins in the worst division in football!!

So, just how good is Pat Shurmur? Ask Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson who, statistically, had his worst year as a pro in Shurmur’s offense.

Do the Browns too, turn into a pass-first team? Is Shurmur going to develop McCoy the same way he did Bradford, by sacrificing the run game? I’m left wondering what will happen to Peyton Hillis’ touches.

With any head-coaching hire, questions will be raised. I just hope Shurmur has time to answer them before Holmgren bolts out of Cleveland next season to become a head coach somewhere.

Mike Holmgren may have gotten “his guy”, but “his guy” won’t be his for very much longer. #hate2breakit2U

Former Browns head coach Eric Mangini had a few interesting things to say to ESPN about the Shurmur hire.